


The Stars Are All My Friends

by Elise_Davidson



Series: 40 Snapshots [19]
Category: Hook (1991), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 39. Writer's Choice-Stars, 40 Snapshots, F/M, Hook!movie crossover, If Hook!movie crossover is not your thing please don't read, Please don't hurt me for this one, Violet is singing Maggie's lullaby, protective!Snow and Charming parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-12 22:33:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7951768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Davidson/pseuds/Elise_Davidson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of Untold Stories, Hook chaperons Violet and Henry as they babysit little Neal.  When Violet and Henry sing a lullaby that is unsettling and familiar, Hook tries to inquire as to how they learned it.</p><p>Hook knew immediately when Henry says who.</p><p>Crossover with the Hook movie; if this is not your thing, please do not read.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stars Are All My Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this idea has been banging around for a bit, and while it might be less than well-received, I still wanted to write it out and post it. If Hook Crossover is not your thing with Once Upon a Time, please do not read.
> 
> That being said, I tried to verify as many facts as I could. Those that I couldn't, I tried to skirt around as best as I could manage. If anything's wrong, I apologize.
> 
> Credit to LegacySoulReaver as a sounding board, but the work itself is largely un-beta'd; mistakes are my own.
> 
> ETA: This story largely came about as a random thought I had one night. My sister, Sara, who loves this TV series more than I do, I felt would definitely approve of the twist. Sara, this one is for you ^_^

  1. Writer’s Choice—Stars



 

Hook had been content enough to try and lay low as they attempted to figure out the whole Hyde situation. It wasn’t good, and that was about all they really knew about it, other than Gold being the reason Hyde was there at all. Unfortunately, no one seemed able to _find_ the bloody crocodile; the man was nothing if not clever at saying hidden when he wanted. Perhaps if they searched first for Belle…

But that was neither here or there, and idle speculation did little if there was no one actively throwing ideas around.

So he sat in Snow’s apartment with Henry and Violet, playing something of a chaperone to the teenagers as they babysat and generally fussed over Neal. They chatted quietly amongst themselves and to the baby, who was growing more and more each day. Hook supposed with Henry being so taken with Violet, Snow had taken it upon herself to forever be the teacher and caretaker and give Henry something productive to do with his after school time rather than waste it away on video games.

Though if the way Violet stared at Henry almost adoringly was any indication, Hook had little doubt Henry would be playing video games. He wondered absently if Snow perhaps knew that and thus asked Henry to regularly babysit Neal every Thursday afternoon to evening while Snow and Charming took time for themselves that didn’t involve violence.

The soft sounds of singing drew Hook from his reverie, and then his blood ran like ice as he listened.

“The stars are all my friends,” Violet sang in a high-pitched voice and nodded to Henry, who grinned at her fondly.

“Until the night time ends,” he continued, if a bit off-key with a squeaky hitch that indicated his changing voice.

Hook rose from his seat at the kitchen bar and approached the pair slowly. He peered into where Neal’s bassinet was, eyeing the chubby fists warily, hoping with a sort of desperate dread that the next words weren’t what he thought they were going to be.

Violet reached in and brushed a gentle hand over Neal's hair. “So I know, I’m not alone…when I’m here—on my own.”

Henry took over next again. “Isn’t that a wonder? When you’re alone…”

Violet continued. “You’re not alone.”

They ended together. “Not really alone.”

Hook leaned as casually as he could against the doorjamb. “And just where did you learn that one, I wonder?” he asked with a tilt of his head. “Something new on the radio, no doubt.”

Henry shook his head, though in a bit of a startled fashion at Hook’s quiet approach. “Nope; music class. Violet’s doing a duet with Grace, Jefferson’s kid. She’s really good, you know.” He nodded his head at Violet to indicate for who his praise lie.

Violet blushed. “Henry, you don’t have to. I’m pretty good, but Grace is _way_ better.”

“If you’re so “okay”, then how’d you score a duet for what was supposed to be a solo piece?”

Violet sighed, but the sound was both exasperated and fond. “You remember what Ms. Banning said—that it worked out better this way. Besides, she said she and her brother used to sing it back and forth all the time.”

Hook felt his ears grow hot. “Ms. Banning?” he prompted before Henry could ask further to Violet’s explanation.

Henry looked puzzled, as if he wasn’t sure why it mattered. “Our music teacher, Ms. Banning. She thought it would be more creative to set the music as a duet, sorta like a back and forth.” He turned back to Violet, the question forgotten. “You _are_ really good; you’re gonna do so great at the concert.”

Violet blushed again. “Thank you, Henry. That means a lot.”

Hook wondered if he could get away with asking about the woman’s brother, but he also knew Henry to be a shrewd lad. With the boy being the author, heaven knew he may already have an idea of where his mind was going. So he didn’t ask further, and simply took up residence at the rustic bar again as Henry and Violet continued their conversation.

XXXXX

Hook found his opportunity to investigate further (albeit quietly) when Snow and Charming returned and Henry and Violet had left after declaring they would stop by Regina’s to check in before ( _hopefully_ , Henry stressed with an awkward smile and red cheeks) going for a walk _alone_. Hook doubted very much that Regina—hell’s bells, _Emma_ —would dare let Henry go _anywhere_ alone at this point.

Though he knew they were expectantly waiting for him to leave, Hook lingered around, making a pot of coffee under Charming’s watchful eye ( _much obliged_ if one would stop bringing up the melted remnants of Emma’s coffee pot, _thanks_ ) as Snow checked in on a sleeping Neal.

“Looks as snug as a bug in a rug,” Snow determined as she exited, and gazed at Hook in inquiry. “We appreciate you keeping an eye on them—we figured since Emma probably had her hands full tonight anyway, you wouldn’t mind.”

Hook bobbed his head in agreement. “No, I didn’t mind.” Charming left to check on the baby next. “I actually wanted to inquire about one of Henry’s teachers.”

Snow’s eyes sharpened. “Oh? How’s that?” Steel line her voice in warning.

Hook felt his cheeks redden and he tried to roll his eyes casually, though Snow’s glare was definitely making a spiral of guilt unwind tensely in his stomach. “The interest is purely professional, I assure you,” he said, all the while hating how trite it sounded.

Snow’s gaze didn’t waver though, and she crossed her arms to settle her stance—it was clear that she wanted to know the real reason why.

Matters weren’t helped when Charming walked back in and immediately noted his wife’s tense stature. “Problem?” he asked.

Snow ducked her head to Charming’s shoulder as if imparting a secret. “It seems Killian is interested in one of Henry’s teachers.”

The full weight of Charming’s glare fell on Hook, who squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, as if hoping to find different looks on their faces. “Is he now.”

Snow nodded. “But the interest is _purely professional_ , he assures me.”

Hook sighed his irritation at what was becoming a colossal misunderstanding. “It isn’t _like_ that,” he tried, but their stares didn’t falter. “Henry and his lady friend were singing a song to the babe, and I recognized it from _Neverland_!” he finally blurted out because really, the double stare of doom from Snow and Charming should come with a damn warning.

Their looks immediately changed from accusing to equal aspects concerned and panicked.

Snow busied herself with looking over Neal and Charming stepped closer to Hook. “It was from Neverland?”

Hook nodded sullenly; he had really wanted to fish this out for himself seeing as they were busy enough with Hyde and his band of miserably untold storied men. “It was…a very long time ago.”

Charming nodded. “Back during your pirating days, yeah?”

Hook nodded. “You could say that. Peter Pan had left, been gone long enough that Neverland was starting to become very grim. As I recall, things had grown rather…distressing.”

Charming was beginning to look frustrated. “What does this have to do with some song Henry and Violet were singing?”

Snow came back in, looking a bit better for having inspected Neal herself to ensure he was protected. “What does this have to do with one of their teachers?”

Hook tried a different tack. “What do you know about the music teacher, Ms. Banning?”

Snow frowned, the confusion apparent on her gamine face. “You mean Maggie Banning?”

Hook sucked in a breath and let it out again in a resigned whoosh of air. “I don’t know what she’s doing here, but I know that lass.”

“Is she…dangerous?” Charming asked, wrapping a hand over Snow’s shoulder, as if bracing themselves for whatever awful story Hook might dredge up.

But Snow shook him off, still frowning and looking bemused. “She isn’t, is she?”

Hook shook his head. “Neither were Michael and John at one point, I suppose.” He curled his fingers over the back of a chair. “She has a brother, doesn’t she.” It wasn’t a question, and it came out in a resigned tone of voice.

Snow nodded. “One brother that she talks about, yes. He coaches the baseball team and teaches math. They’re both new to town; I figured they either came in with the Untold Stories people or they crossed over with any number of portals that we’ve opened up lately.”

Hook looked up. “His name is Jack.”

Charming looked to Snow for confirmation, but she only had eyes for Hook at the moment, temporarily surprised at the fact that he was _right_. “How do you know all this?” Charming asked.

“They’re Jack and Maggie,” Hook said, but his voice was off a bit, and he sounded close to hysterics. He certainly _felt_ manically inclined to burst into laughter at the twisted ways of the universe.

Charming shook his head, clearly not understanding. “You say that like it explains everything.”

“Aye, lad; if you were me, it certainly does,” Hook replied. “You see, during those dark times, my crew thought the best thing would be to bring Peter back. They were convinced he could restore Neverland, not knowing if the climate was relative to Peter’s presence or not. I, quite literally, had a growing mutiny aboard my ship, and that was… _unacceptable_.”

Snow gave a very un-ladylike snort. “No doubt you thought that. What did you do?”

Hook kicked the clawing guilt to the side; he had done far worse things in his life. “I kidnapped his children.”

Charming looked like he was barely containing his laughter. “You kidnapped Rumplestiltskin?”

“No,” Hook corrected. “Peter went _home_ ; he grew up for a time. I still don’t know what he was attempting, but he married a lass and she bore him two children—Jack and Maggie.” He sighed, preparing himself for the shocked glares. “I took them. I kidnapped them and brought them to Neverland.”

Snow did look a bit shocked. “You took his _kids_? What were you _thinking_ , of _course_ they might be dangerous! Who knows what that little song of Henry and Violet’s did to _our_ child!”

Hook looked distantly aware of Snow’s shouting, as if he could hear it but wasn’t fully understanding of it. “It’s not _dangerous_.”

Charming was the one who scoffed this time. “You kidnapped them as children and now Henry is in her music class; what else are we supposed to think?”

Hook looked vaguely uncomfortable. “Maggie sang that song as a child, aboard the pier that docked with my ship. Had half my crew mesmerized and in a daze for the rest of the night, even without rum. That child desperately wanted home as much as her brother wanted anywhere _but_ home.” He pinned the Charmings with a dark stare that spoke volumes. “Maggie isn’t dangerous; that lass couldn’t harm a barnacle.”

“But her brother,” Charming prompted. “Jack, you said?”

Hook nodded, his gaze finally growing sharper and more thoughtful. “That lad had more feelings than years, and not a lot to do with them but rebel. If they arrived with the Untold Stories—and I have a suspicion they might very well have, seeing as Peter _did_ return to Neverland—then something must have happened after they left my…company.” His tone was sullen and pouty at the end, brooking no inquiries into the matter.

Snow was clearly already entering investigative mode. “If you’re sure Maggie is no danger?”

Hook nodded resolutely, trying to show that he needed no convincing. “The lass once told me I needed a mother very, _very_ badly.” He rubbed the wrist-edge of his hook over his forehead in lost memories. “Earlier, she quite literally tried to pull my hook off and made it no secret that that was her deepest intent. All because I gave her a failing score on an exam.”

Charming looked concerned. “Yet you say she’s no danger.”

Hook snorted. “To everyone here? Likely not. To me?” He smiled broadly with glittering eyes. “She might well try to tear my hook off again, if she recognized me at all. She was quite young.”

Snow nodded determinedly though. “I’ll try to get to know her and keep an eye on her brother. With everything going on and the new residents in town, it never hurts to watch people we actually recognize.”

Even when Hook left their apartment and relayed the story to a tired yet attentive Emma, he could still recall Maggie’s fierce yelling as she ripped at his hook, could remember Jack’s tired and deeply unhappy stare as he smashed the clocks. He always slept poorly, though he would never relay this to Emma, who tended to sleep equally as badly, but that night, he barely slept at all.

When he did doze, off and on, it was to the memory of a lost girl singing defiantly to an unfamiliar sky, stubbornly and obstinately assuming the stars were her friends; that she wasn’t _alone_ , even if she seemed to be.

And when that drew him from the hazy, restless doze, he curled around Emma and wondered if she had ever done the same.

XXXXX

**Author's Note:**

> I almost feel like this could have more to it...but I wanted to get the idea itself into word. Hope you enjoyed.
> 
> ETA: 9/4/2016 to fix a few mistakes that were bugging the living crap out of me after I found them.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [So We Know We're Not Alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10448850) by [Elise_Davidson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Davidson/pseuds/Elise_Davidson)




End file.
